Jewish Philosophy

Norbert M. Samuelson is the Harold and Jean Grossman Professor in Religious Studies at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. He is the author of six books and over 200 articles, and the co-editor of three collected volumes of essavs.

• 1. Introduction; I The Origins; A The Hebrew Scriptures; 2. Biblical History: The Story of the Hebrew Scriptures; 3. What is the Bible and How was is Created?; 4. The God of the Bible; 5. The Biblical Conception of Torah; 6. The Conception of Israel as the Chosen People; 7. The Biblical View of God; B Early Rabbinic Literature; 8. Rabbinic History: From Alexander the Great to Mohammed; 9. Major Texts of Rabbinic Judaism; 10. The God of the Early Rabbis. 11. The Torah of the Early Rabbis; 12. The Jewish People of the Early Rabbis; 13. The Rabbinic View of Ethics; II Classical Jewish Philosophy; A Jewish Philosophy Before Maimonides; 14. Medieval History: From the Rise of Islam to the Expulsion from Christian Spain; 15. Major Texts and Themes of Jewish Philosophy; B The Philosophy of Maimonides; 16. The Composition of the Guide of the Perplexed; 17. God and the Bible; 18. Creation and Revelation; 19. Divine Providence; 20. The Reasons for the Commandments (TA'AMEI HA-MITSVOT); C Jewish Philosophy After Maimonides; 21. The Philosophy of Gersonides; 22. The Non-Rationalism of Crescas; III Modern Jewish Philosophy; A Jewish Philosophy Before Rosenzweig; 23. Modern History: From Christian Spain to Secular Israel; 24. The Turning Point - Baruch Spinoza; 25. Cohen and Jewish Idealism; 26. Buber and Jewish Existentialism; B The Philosophy of Rosenzweig; 27. The Elements: God, World, and the Human; 28. The Course: Creation, Revelation, and Redemption; 29. The Configuration: Jewish People, Christian Way, and the Kingdom of God; 30. Conclusion: Jewish Philosophy after Rosenzweig.

"Samuelson's book takes the student on a fascinating tour through the world of Judaism in general and Jewish Philosophy in particular....he succeeds in leading the reader through the ever-changing landscape of Jewish responses to western culture, to its own heritage, and to the philosophies and theologies of the surrounding religions." Dr Yehoyada Amir, Department of Jewish Thought, Hebrew University, Jerusalem "One of America's leading Jewish philosophers has written an admirable guide to the history of Jewish philosophical reflection from its Hebraic roots to Franz Rosenzweig. Highly recommended." Professor John Clayton, Chairman, Department of Religion, Boston University"